Simply, Cool Cucumber with Sweet Tomatoes and Rice

Fresh Golden Mini Tomatoes from my garden

Just over a week in our new apartment and Mike and I have managed to enjoy home-made barbecued meals just about every night!  I was just happy to have him do most of the cooking while I sat back and enjoyed our lovely new deck. Two nights ago however, not feeling my best (actually feeling sick as as a dog) I couldn't bare to face the BBQ or the outdoors for that matter.

So, I took it easy and made something simple and just as delicious with fresh ingredients our my container garden and my father's garden. What I made, I share with you now:

Tomatoes from my garden and cucumbers from my Father's garden with Rice

Brown Rice, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Makes about 8 regular servings.

Ingredients
* 1-1.5 cups of cooked brown basmati and wild rice
* 1 large cucumber, chopped into cubes
* 1 cup of golden mini tomatoes, sliced in half
* 2-3 tbsp of Asian Sesame dressing (or any dressing of your choice)
* Salt and pepper to taste (I went very easy on both)

Mix all ingredients together well, and enjoy!

Quinoa Mung Bean Salad

Quinoa Mung Bean Salad

A lovely Spring-time salad or a side-dish perfect for BBQ's this Summer! I got the idea from a salad I bought at the grocery store but then made a few adjustments to it to fit my liking so it's mostly made up.

I do hope we see a bit more Summer sun and a lot less Spring rain this weekend!










Ingredients

1 cup cooked Red Quinoa
3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
3/4 cup cooked mung beans
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomato
1/4 sliced black olives
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Fine Sea Salt to taste
Pepper to taste (can substitute for cayenne pepper for more spice)

Directions


Mix the oil and vinegar in a small bowl, can add a spoonful of lemon juice or two to help them bind.  Then add the rest of the ingredients all together in a large bowl and pour the dressing on top, mixing it in. Serves about 8-10 people.


Serve and enjoy!

Rice Noodles and Apple Crumble

A week at home, mostly to myself, really just wasn't long enough! Just before I knew it it was back to work and the holiday season was just a blur, a faint memory in my mind, didn't help that I was sick for most of it.

I did, however, manage to make a few fantastic recipes from my vegan cook books like Spring Sesame Noodles (pictured above) that I made from my newest addition to the book collection, Ripe from Around Here by Jae Steele.  I made a few adjustments to the recipe for my liking.

And for dessert it was Apple Crumble; I followed a recipe in the book but really revised it to make apple crumble instead of Pear Ginger Amaranth Crumble, which also sounds amazing!

Another great recipe from the book and probably my new all-time favourite is the Rainbow Dragon Bowl. 

Here's how I made mine:

Step 1: Base, about 2/3 cup cooked quinoa.

Step 2: Add Spinach, chopped up or whole pieces.

Step 3: I added radicchio because that's what I had available but the recipe calls for red cabbage.

Step 4: Add Shredded carrot.

Step 5: Add sauteed or baked tofu "steaks" - recipes in the book but any will do.

Lastly, top off with sprouts and I added sunflower seeds.

I must say the dressing was the best part, amazing! It's one of my staple dressings now ...

Dragon Sauce
from Ripe from Around Here, p. 203

1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tbsp  grapeseed or olive oil
2 tbsp 100% maple syrup
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp filtered water
1 large garlic clove, crushed or 1/2 tsp ground garlic (optional)

Combine all ingredients until mixed well.  Keeps for a few days.  Best to make this sauce fresh when using.

Keepin' it Simple During my Move

On the menu this week, salad, salad and more salads - at least I did my best to keep it that way with a few sandwich exceptions.

I've been busy, busy, busy this summer with helping my best-friend prep for her wedding, to moving to a new apartment all the while training for with my dragon boat team, cross training and boxing, oh and not to mention getting ready for my trip to Mozambique this summer too, I simply don't know how I find time to cook anymore!

So, I kept it simple this week ...

Simple Big Green Cool Salad

3-4 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chopped
1 small cucumber, chopped
2/3 cup snow peas, tips trimmed (about one large handful)
3-4 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 of one avocado, sliced
A handful of sunflower sprouts
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper for taste (optional)

1. In a medium size bowl mix together the first four ingredients.

2. Add the Dijon mustard and honey and mix well to cover all the vegetables.  Add salt and pepper for taste if desired.

3. When ready to serve top off your salad bowl with a few slices of avocado and a handful of sunflower sprouts.

*Add protein to this dish? I would toss in a few cubes of tofu.

Simple Warm Evening Salad

1 small package of spinach vermicelli noodles
1/2 a red onion, chopped
2/3 cup snow peas, tips trimmed (about one large handful)
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 an apple sliced
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp of natural peanut butter
Salt and pepper for taste (optional)

1. In a large skillet on med-high heat, satay the red onion in about 1 tsp of olive oil for about one minute.

2. Then add the snow peas, mushrooms, chickpeas and apple and let cook for about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add 1 tbsp of the balsamic vinegar and turn off the stove top.

4. Add the peanut butter and mix together well.

5. In a medium saucepan bring water to a boil and cook the vermicelli noodles for about 4 - 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, strain and transfer to a bowl.

6. Top the noodles off with your vegetable stir-fry, can add salt and pepper for taste.

Enjoy!

I Should Have Listened to my Mother

For years my mother has been making this amazing Portuguese Collard Greens soup, don't know the name of it and don't have the recipe (yet!) but she always said it was good for me.  I didn't believe her but mostly because I didn't want to eat that weird dark green veggie soup!  I should have listened ... collards are amazingly good for us, similar to kale, they are a leafy green vegetable pack full of vitamins.

I tried out this fantastic recipe from The Kind Diet last night and loved it!


Sicilian Collard Greens
Original recipe from The Kind Diet p. 176

Serves 2 or 3

1 bunch of collard greens
2 Tbsp pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp raisins
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Use a sharp knife to out the central rib and stem from each collard leaf.  Rinse the leaves in a sink of cool water, lifting them into a colander to drains a it (you want some water to remain on the leaves).

Toast the pine nuts over medium heat in a dry skilled for about 5 minutes or until golden.  Shake the pan often to keep the pine nuts from burning.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Place the garlic and oil in a large skilled, and sauté over medium heat for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the damp collards and stir, then over the pan and cook for 2 minutes longer.  Add the raisins and pine nuts, and stir.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar, cover,  and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Family Lunch

For my father's birthday weekend and as a treat for my family I made them a lunch, which included: salad, butter chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, vegetables and rice.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with cashews and balsamic vinigarette

A very basic salad I tossed together which included spinach, fresh sliced strawberries, cashews and balsamic vinigarette.

Asparagus and Carrots in Spicy Maple Glaze

I found this gluten-free recipe at a great website called Recipegirl.com, here's the link:  Asparagus and Carrots with maple butter sauce

Amazing Sweet Potato Wedges

I also found this recipe online, the original recipe is from this site: Cate's World Kitchen.  I altered the recipe a bit, I only used all-natural peanut butter (no almond butter) and cut my sweet potatoes in to wedges and baked them that way.  They were still soooooooo yummy!

Last but not least I did make butter chicken, which tasted amazing and was a lot easier to make then I thought just a bit time consuming.  To perfect this recipe it's all about timing.  I found this recipe on the Key Ingredient website (that's where I get my recipes to load my Demy).

Butter Chicken

4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

5 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoons Black Pepper

½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

¼ teaspoons Ground Coriander

¼ teaspoons Cumin

¼ teaspoons Cardamom

1 whole Lime, Juiced

1 whole Onion, Diced

¼ cups Butter

1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce

1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 pint Whipping Cream

1 bunch Chopped Cilantro, to taste

2 cups Basmati Rice (or However Much You Want)

Combine first 9 ingredients and marinate overnight.

Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the whipping cream (can use light cream or half-and-half instead) and cilantro just before serving over Basmati rice.

And for dessert .... Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes!

Freshii Inspired Meal Time Plan

This week I had been enjoying salads from Freshii, a great little food shop which I now LOVE! It is definitely on my top 10 list of best healthy places to eat in Toronto (in my opinion).

However, because I will be traveling to Mozambique for Habitat for Humanity this summer, I have had to buckle down and start sticking to a serious budget, so going to Freshii 3-4 times a week, not going to cut it anymore!

Then I thought of a brilliant idea - at least I think so - I am going to bring Freshii to me! How you ask?

To first understand what I mean you have to visit their site, it's awesome, check out the menu section: http://www.freshii.com/ (can I have my money now please!)

THE IDEA

Stock up items listed on their menu (or at least the ones you like most) store them in the fridge, cupboard or freezer to have them ready to go when you want to make a quick and easy, yummy meal for lunch or dinner!

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

The Base of your meal

(bulk of your meal, at least 1/2 to 1 cup per person)

- Brown or Wild Rice (I mix them)
- Spring salad mix
- Spinach
- Soup broth
- Cooked Quinoa
- Whole wheat or Gluten-free wraps (your preference)

Vegetables

(fresh or frozen, about 1 cup total)

 

- Bean sprouts
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chick peas
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Edamame
- Green onion
- Mushrooms
- Peppers
- Red onion
- Salad Mix (if using non-salad base)
- Spinach (if using non-salad base)
- Tomato
- Zucchini

Fruit

(fresh or frozen, about 1/3 cup)

- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Green apple
- Green grapes
- Mandarin orange
- Mango
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Sweet apple

Dried Fruit (1 tbsp total)

- Apricot
- Cranberries
- Dates
- Mango
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Sun dried tomato

Seeds and Nuts

(aka your healthy fat, 1 tbsp total)

- Almonds
- Avocado
- Crispy Wontons
- Hemp seeds
- Dry roasted Peanuts
- Pecans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Soy nuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Walnuts

Protein & Dairy (depending, 1/4 - 1/2 or more if it's meat)

- Egg whites, scrambled
- Hard boiled eggs, sliced
- Roasted turkey breast
- Roasted Chicken breast
- Tofu, cubbed or crumbled
- Low-fat Turkey lunch meat
- Low-fat Chicken lunch meat
- White Tuna
- Turkey or chicken bacon

Dress it Up!
(any dressing you like, these are mine)

- Light: Balsamic Vinaigrette, Cucumber Dill
- Creamy: French dressing
- Sweet: Honey Mustard, Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Salty: Japanese Ginger. Soy Sauce


THE STEPS

Prepping

After I bought everything I spent about 1-2 hours, chopping, slicing and dicing, putting everything in Tupperware containers.  This step takes the longest but is the most important in making your weekly meal times quick and easy.

Storing

I personally like to eat fresh but I also have more time then most people to do the prep work when necessary.  Frozen or dried fruit and veggie options are a great alternative or addition to your meal because I think they will last longer and save you money in the long run.  I like to store everything in plastic or glass, reusable containers and jars - preferably clear ones so that I can quickly see what it is (I'm a visual learner).  You can also label your jars and containers for easy reference.

Let's Eat! Lunch and Dinner Ideas

Putting together this Salads are super easy:

1. Choose the base you want to start with and add it to a large bowl.
2. Add the toppings you want from the other categories.
3. Add the dressing of choice.
4. Toss all together and there you have it - your one-person or family size meal depending on who you're feeding.  If making a family-size meal, start with a larger base and add more toppings.

Here are a few example meals I ate this week:

1. Lettuce (base), tomato, cucumber, mushrooms, green apple, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, fat-free turkey deli meat; dressed up with  balsamic vinaigrette dressing (served cold).

2. Brown + Wild Rice (base), spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomato, yellow peppers, strawberries, walnuts, fat-free turkey deli meat; dressed up with balsamic vinaigrette dressing (served warm).

3. Rice noodle (base), Vegetable broth, spinach, carrots, broccoli, green onion, mushrooms, zucchini, almonds, tofu; added soy sauce for flavour (served hot).

Other Ideas

* If you like hot meals - turn any of the salad combos into a yummy stirfry

* If you want more carbs - add healthy rye bread or crackers to your salad.

* Top off any of your dishes with fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice or chopped fresh herbs of your choice.

If you have any dish ideas you'd like to see on my blog or suggestions you'd like to make, please email me: sarahlyn44@hotmail.com

Cheers!

Hard Training & Weight-watching Week

Hot Ginger and Vegetable Salad
A Sarah-Lyn original recipe

1 tsp olive oil
1 green onion chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced round
1 small green hot pepper chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, sliced
1/4 pkg of firm tofu, chopped in cubes
1 tsp of Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb mix
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar (optional)
1-2 cups of mixed green salad

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan at medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
2. Toss in the onions, carrots, hot pepper, ginger and tofu and coat well with the olive oil.
3. Satay for about 2-3 minutes then add the Mrs. Dash spice and the vinegar if adding.
4. Satay for another 4-5 minutes, stirring often and then turn off the heat.  I cook mine long enough for all of the tofu to be lightly browned.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Place the mixed greens salad in a large bowl (you can add more balsamic vinegar at this point) then cover the bed of salad with the satayed vegetables.
7. Optional: Add a dash of fresh lemon juice.

Enjoy!

After my boxing match on Sunday, besides eating chocolate again, I like to eat pizza as a reward - it's my comfort food but only the homemade version! Stay tuned for a yummy gluten-free, vegan pizza recipe next Friday!

Boxer's Diet Week 4 - It's So Easy Eating Green

So I've decided that kale is my new, most favourite green food ever! It is such an amazing power food, packed full of nutrients and vitamins, it's so yummy and versatile I think I could eat it every day, oh wait I have been lol.

Here are a couple amazing recipes I made and enjoyed this week using Kale:

Cranberry Kale Salad

Ingredients
5 - 6 leafy branches of fresh, washed kale
1.5 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic n Herb mix
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1-2 tbsp dried cranberries

1. Wash and pat-dry the Kale. Chop or break apart into medium-size pieces.
2. Using a frying pan heat the olive oil on med-high heat just high enough to satay the kale.
3. Satay the kale for about 2 minutes or until all leaves are covered in olive oil. Add Mrs. Dash seasoning.
4. After about 4 minutes add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Add the balsamic vinegar and turn off the stove.
5. Satay for another 1-2 minutes as the heat dies down.  Add the cranberries, mix in well.
6. Serve in a large bowl and enjoy!

Orange Kale Salad

Ingredients

5-6 leafy branches of fresh, washed kale

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp Mrs. Dash Chipotle Chili spice
1 tbsp pine nuts, preferably roasted
2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 orange, peeled and sliced

1. Wash and pat-dry the Kale. Chop or break apart into medium-size pieces.
2. Using a frying pan heat the olive oil on med-high heat just high enough to satay the kale.
3. Satay the kale for about 2 minutes or until all leaves are covered in olive oil. Add Mrs. Dash seasoning.
4. After about 4 minutes add the pine nutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and turn off the stove.
5. Satay for another 1-2 minutes as the heat dies down. Add the orange slices when serving.
6. Enjoy!

Want to learn more about the Health Benefits of Kale?
Check out this site: Health Benefits of Kale

It's a Wonderful Treat!

Boxer's Diet Week 1 - Rainbow Lunch

For those who know me well they know that I am training full-time right now, which means eating super healthy full-time too.  My diet is high-protein, low-carb and almost 0 sugar/sodium/fat - unless it's "healthy" fat.

So in order to stick to my no-meat, no-dairy, no-gluten year I have to get a little creative. Beans are my new best-friend and I've rediscovered my love affair with colourful vegetables!

With that said here's a dish I've been typically eating for lunch this past week, I called it:

Rainbow Lunch

The Salad: Romaine greens, spinach, red cabbage, and carrots topped off with Mrs. Dash Chipoltle spice and a balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice mixture for dressing.

The Protein: Black beans, red pepper and corn (to sweeten).

This dinner is so packed full of nutrients that although it may not seem like much I feel quite satisfied after this dish and keeps me full for at least 3 hours.

I fill my plate with salad the greens salad and enjoy it with 1 cup of the bean salad.

NEXT WEEK: Why breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day!